2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 Owner's Manual

360 Practical hints
What to do if …
Text messages
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABSABS, ESP
Inoperative
See Operator’s Man.The ABS, ESP® as well as PRE-SAFE® have
switched off due to a malfunction.
BAS is also switched off.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS, BAS, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE® available.
Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
w i l l l o c k d u r i n g h a r d b raking, reducing steering
capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
ABSABS, ESP
Unavailable
See Operator’s Man.The ABS, ESP® as well as PRE-SAFE® were
deactivated because of insufficient power
supply. The charging voltage has fallen be-
low 10 volts.
BAS is also switched off.
The brake system still functions normally
but without ABS, BAS, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE® available.
When the voltage is above this value again, the
ABS, ESP® and PRE-SAFE® are operational again
and the message should disappear.
If the message does not disappear:
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

361 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Cruise
Control--- MPH
(USA only)
--- Km/h
(Canada only)
You have tried to switch on cruise control
below a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h).Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and save
the speed.
DISTRONIC--- MPH
(USA only)
--- Km/h
(Canada only)
You have tried to switch on Distronic be-
low a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h).Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and save
the speed.
InoperativeThe Distronic* is malfunctioning or the
display is malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.

362 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONICCurrently Unavailable
See Operator’s ManualDistronic* is switched off and is tempo-
rarily unavailable.
Distronic* is deactivated if:

the Distronic* cover in the radiator
grille is dirty

its function is impaired by heavy pre-
cipitation or fog
If necessary, clean the Distronic* cover in the
area of the radiator grille (
page 337).
Restart the vehicle.
or
Distronic* becomes operational again without the
engine being restarted when:

dirt on the radiator grille has fallen off while
driving (e.g. slush or snow)

the system recognizes full sensor availability
(due to lessening rain or the road surface dry-
ing)

the message in the multifunction display disap-
pears

the speed last stored flashes in the display for
5 seconds.
You can operate Distronic* as usual again.

363 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONICCurrently Unavailable
See Operator’s ManualDistronic* is deactivated because the
functionality is impaired by external in-
terferences, e.g. high-frequency sources
such as too stations, speed measuring
systems etc.Leave the area of the external interference.
Activate Distronic* again (page 222) when
the message
DISTRONIC available again ap-
pears.
Distronic* is deactivated because the
Distronic* sensor has not sensed any
other vehicles or objects, e.g. road sign
or such, for a long time.Activate Distronic* again (page 222) when
the message
DISTRONIC available again ap-
pears.
ESPInoperative
See Operator’s Man.The ESP® as well as BAS and PRE-SAFE®
have detected a malfunction and
switched off.
The ABS may not be operational.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS, BAS, ESP
®
and PRE-SAFE® available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
Warning!G
Distronic cannot take weather conditions
into account. Switch off Distronic* or do not
turn it on if the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished as a result of snow, rain or fog.
The distance control may be impaired even
before the system is able to detect a dirty
sensor. The messageDISTRONIC
Currently Unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
will be displayed in the multifunction display
and Distronic* will be turned off.

364 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/conse-
quencePossible solution
Front Passenger
Airbag Enabled
See Operator’s ManualFront passenger front air bag is
activated while driving even
though a child, small individual,
or object below the system’s
weight threshold is on the front
passenger seat, or the front
passenger seat is empty. Ob-
jects on the seat or forces act-
ing on the seat may make the
system sense supplemental
weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the
front passenger seat for the following:
Apply the parking brake.
Switch off the ignition (page 38).
Open the front passenger door.
Remove child and child restraint from front passenger seat and
properly secure the child in rear seat employing the child restraint
if necessary.
Remove any other items from on and around the front passenger
seat and make sure the storage pocket on the back of the front pas-
senger seat is empty.
Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are
present (e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged behind
or around the seat, head restraints pushing against roof etc.). The
system may recognize such forces as supplemental weight and
sense that an occupant on the front passenger seat is of a greater
weight than actually present.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and turn
on the ignition (
page 38).
(Continued on next page)

365 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/con-
sequencePossible solution
Monitor the 75 indicator lamp on the center console (page 29) and
the multifunction display in the instrument cluster (
page 27) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition turned on,

the 75 indicator lamp on the center console should illuminate and
remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 71) has deactivated the
front passenger front air bag.

the message Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See Operator’s Manual or the
message
Front Passenger Airbag Disabled See Operator’s Manual should
not appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied. Wait
at least 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check cycles and
to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again. De-
pending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS (
page 71), the
75 indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 75indicator lamp
remains out even after performing the above
corrective steps, do not have any children
12 years old and under and other smallindividuals use the front passenger seat un-
til the system has been repaired.

366 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/conse-
quencePossible solution
Front Passenger
Airbag Disabled
See Operator’s ManualFront passenger front air bag is
deactivated while driving even
though an adult or someone
larger than a small individual is
occupying the front passenger
seat. Forces acting on the seat
may make the system sense a
decrease in weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the
front passenger seat for the following:
Switch off the ignition (page 60).
Have the front passenger vacate the seat and exit the vehicle.
Adjust the seat in a height position (page 42).
Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are
present (e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged under-
neath, behind or around the seat). Such forces may cause the sys-
tem to sense that an occupant of a lesser weight than actually
present is on the front passenger seat.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and turn
on the ignition (
page 38).
(Continued on next page)

367 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/con-
sequencePossible solution
Monitor the 75 indicator lamp on the center console (page 29) and
the multifunction display in the instrument cluster (
page 26) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition turned on,

the 75 indicator lamp on the center console should illuminate and
remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 71) has deactivated the
front passenger front air bag.

the message Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See Operator’s Manual or the
message
Front Passenger Airbag Disabled See Operator’s Manual should
not appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied. Wait
at least 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check cycles and
to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again. De-
pending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS (
page 71), the
75 indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 75 indicator lamp
remains illuminated with an adult occupant
on the front passenger seat even after per-
forming the above corrective steps,do not have any passenger use the front
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.